Jury Finds Fullerton Officers Not Guilty in Thomas Beating

By |January 13, 2014

An Orange County jury Monday found Fullerton police officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli not guilty of murder and manslaughter in the beating death of Kelly Thomas.

The jury of eight women and four men cleared Ramos of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges and found Cicinelli not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force.

The charges stemmed from the July 5, 2011, beating of Kelly Thomas at the Fullerton bus station. Thomas, diagnosed as schizophrenic, died of his injuries five days later.

Ramos and Cicinelli were among six officers involved in the beating. A third officer, Joe Wolfe, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force. However, after Monday's verdict, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said he will not prosecute Wolfe.

— DAVID WASHBURN

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